


Two Calling Birds

by valerienne (valderys)



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: Bittersweet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-28
Updated: 2010-05-28
Packaged: 2017-10-09 18:35:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/90315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valderys/pseuds/valerienne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"That's your phone, Orli..."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two Calling Birds

**Author's Note:**

> A ficlet based on the '12 Days of Christmas' challenge at Waymeet in 2005.

"That's your phone, Orli," says Sean, with a deep solemnity, as the chatter and noise of the bar is broken by the mildly incongruous notes of the Star Wars theme tune.

Orli looks down a little owlishly at the pocket of his cargo pants. It is indeed ringing.

Sean leans forward and pats it with a proprietary air, "Well, are you going to answer it?"

"Don't wanna," says Orli succinctly, and then giggles. "It's Kate. She'll only yell."

Sean contemplates this for a second and then says, "Fair enough." He rests his chin in his hand and stares at Orli hard, not blinking. He looks like he's thinking deeply. "Then it's your round, elf-boy."

Orli giggles again, and then looks sad. "No-one calls me elf-boy any more, Seanie. No-one would dare. I have an entourage. They wouldn't let them."

Sean again looks like he's thinking hard, he opens his mouth to say something profound when his own pocket begins to vibrate and warble.

Orli looks incredulous, "On Ilkley Moor Baht'at? Bit of a cliché, isn't it, mate?"

"Huh," says Sean profoundly, and hauls it out, squinting at the screen. He groans and then drops his head in his hands.

"New girlfriend," he offers, when Orli leans forward frowning, "I said I'd call her when I got to LA."

"And you forgot, didn't you? Silly human."

"Oi, you. I'm not the one ignoring calls from his significant other."

Orli watches Sean a bit carefully, insofar as his unfocused gaze will let him. Sean contemplates the phone some more as the tune ratchets louder and louder. Then with a determined air, he presses a button. The phone goes blank.

"Yes, you are," says Orli, unnecessarily.

They stare at each other for a few seconds, before Sean leans and bumps his shoulder into Orli's, "It's still your round."

"Yeah, so it is," says Orli, but he makes no move to get up.

They stay leaning against one another, thighs brushing, shoulders touching.

"I miss…" says Orli, abruptly.

"Me too," says Sean.

And the chatter and hubbub in the bar swirls around their little silent corner. Before Orli smiles, with unexpected sweetness, and punches him lightly on the arm, which draws a laugh from Sean.

"We're a couple of bloody grumps today, aren't we?"

"Nope, we're manly men, out on the piss."

"Manly men, and poncy elf-boys, you mean."

"Hey! I'll have you know that…"

And as Orli continues to explain why elves are still so much more superior than filthy humans, the years roll away. It could be any bar. It could be any bar at all. Even one in New Zealand. They can live with that. They can hold on to that.

As long as their phones stay switched off.


End file.
